Fluorescent taggants can be used to mark and track targets, e.g., in a military setting or other setting. The taggant may comprise a material that fluoresces when illuminated by a target system. A target of interest may be marked (tagged) with a taggant by dispersing the taggant in the vicinity of the target using an explosive detonation or projectile, thereby coating the target with the taggant. There are, of course, other ways to tag a target.
Current systems for detecting and tracking targets marked with a taggant are often large, bulky and incorporate an active light source having large peak powers that are unsafe for humans. While these systems can have operating ranges that reach beyond a kilometer, they are too large, heavy and consume too much power to be carried and operated by an individual (e.g., a soldier).